Champ, baseball ace to share spotlight

Champ Day Aug. 4 in Port Henry

“Champ” will again share top billing at the 31st annual Champ Day in Port Henry this year. The celebration of the alleged Lake Champlain monster will include a tribute to native son Johnny Podres Saturday, Aug. 4. It’s the second year the community will honor Podres during Champ Day festivities.
Photo by Nancy Frasier.

Port Henry  “Champ” will again share top billing at the 31st annual Champ Day in Port Henry this year.

The celebration of the alleged Lake Champlain monster will include a tribute to native son Johnny Podres Saturday, Aug. 4. It’s the second year the community will honor Podres during Champ Day festivities.

Photo by Nancy Frasier

A sign honoring Johnny Podres was dedicated by family and friends earlier this year in Port Henry.

Podres, who died Jan. 13, 2008, was the Most Valuable Player of the 1955 World Series, pitching the Brooklyn Dodgers to their only championship.

“The addition of the Johnny Podres event has been a real boast to Champ Day,” said Jack Woods, president of the Moriah Chamber of Commerce. “Johnny Podres is a hometown hero — and, of course, everyone loves Champ.”

Champ Day will also feature sidewalk sales, street vendors, entertainment, children’s games and a “Champ Hunt” starting at 9 a.m. The “Champ Hunt” will feature “Champ Dollars” in local businesses. “Champ Dollars” can be redeemed for actual money.

Loose Connections will provide live entertainment 2 to 4 p.m.

The entertainment and games will be on Church Street, which will be closed to traffic for the day. The Podres exhibit will be next to the Lee House on Main Street.

Vendors are being sought for the day, Woods said. There is no charge to participate. Vendors must provide their own tables.

In conjunction with the downtown Port Henry activities there will be a book sale at the Sherman Free Library 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a town-wide lawn sale.

Pat Salerno will display his extensive collection of Podres memorabilia during Champ Day. He’ll have game jerseys, hats, balls, coins, stamps, gloves, baseball cards and more from Podres’ career.

This year he’ll also have the Dodger uniform belt worn by Podres during the historic Game 7 of the 1955 World Series.

“It’s the first item I’ve received that was actually worn during Game 7 of the ‘55 World Series,” said Salerno, who has collecting Podres items since 1985. “It’s a tremendous surprise.”